Ode to the High Street

Sunday brunch

Mildreds

Word of mouth is clearly the best means of advertisement. It is how I heard about Mildreds restaurant, and evidently, it was how the diners forming the hour long queue had heard.

It is not easy to get a table within this beautiful restaurant. The sumptuous teal colours along with the softy sparkling fairy lights sets the tone for a soothing vegetarian meal. The idyllic image presented here may sound good and well, but the reality was the queue was far too long, and the hour and a half wait left myself and my friend seeking refuge at the front of the restaurant (next to the door, sat on a stool, with an ever-increasing crowd gathering around us). 

Food wise, the menu is fantastic. It offers a variety of dishes ranging from pasta, salad, curry and stews. It even promises to placate those meat-eaters out there with a ‘burger of the day.’ I opted for the Cinnamon Spiced Stew with butter beans, butternut squash and quinoa, with my friend choosing the Sri Lankan Sweet Potato and Cashew Nut Curry, served with yellow rice. For many, vegetables evoke bland and often boring images. This was not the case. The curry and stew sauce, along with the variety of dips, added flavour, whilst the rice made for a fulsome meal. The result was a healthy yet fulfilling meal, with all the flavour often attributed to meat dishes. It is well worth a try, but perhaps not on a Saturday night. 

Cinnamon Spiced Stew.

Styling: Lauren Payet

Photography: Lauren Payet

Dishoom

Last year, I frequented the brilliant Bombay Cafe, Dishoom. I have often been sceptical of restaurants so close to the West End; a hubbub of tourism and, with this, a few too many TGI Fridays which is explanation enough. Sufficient to say, my scepticism was short lived.

A year later, I have moved South of the river. I am fortunate enough to live near the brilliant Bermondsey Street (another blog for a later date), but it's safe to say the need to leave Southwark is few and far between. Nonetheless, the opening of Dishoom in Shoreditch was a definite reason to broaden my culinary horizons. 

Situated just off Liverpool Street, the entrance is both majestic and slick. It gives a powerful impression and leaves one feeling excited at the prospect of what is inside. As is the case with many new restaurants in London, bookings are only taken for tables of six and above. Having arrived at 7.30pm on a Saturday night, the wait was almost an hour long, though a spiced cocktail promptly whittled the hour away.

What makes Dishoom so superior, is that it takes away the idea of a heavy, overwhelming curry, and replaces this void with small, manageable and subsequently tasty dishes. It's the perfect way to try Indian dishes that are so often ignored. For example, the Pau Bhaji presented itself to be a small bowl of mashed vegetables with a buttered Pau bun. The Gunpowder Potatoes were a winning dish and a fantastic accompaniment to the Matter Paneer - a delectable vegetable curry. Finally, the Mahi Tikka - cod with a yogurt sauce - evidenced the variety of dishes that were available. 

For dessert: the Apple and Black Pepper Crumble with Cinnamon Ice-cream. This epitomised the fusion of spices and flavours that ran through the meal, particularly when combined with the House Chai coffee.

Tenerife

On Wednesday's we wear pink!

Holiday snaps + my favourite colour! 

Bon Voyage

The countdown to my holiday is finally over. I can rejoice at past travelling photos in the safe knowledge that a hot country awaits! Knowing that warm weather is only around the corner has made me all nostalgic. 

This outfit was taken in the Dream Hotel, just off Times Square, New York.

This outfit was taken in The Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City, America.

Colonel Mustard

Breakfast is served

For a long time, I have been searching for the perfect breakfast place to kick back, read the paper and be met with a good cup of tea and an appetising breakfast menu. Notwithstanding having all this on my doorstep. Is this too much to ask? The closest I’ve come is the famous Breakfast Club in Shoreditch. Being only a bus ride away, the food and drink menu is delectable, though I took issue with the hour long queue, particularly when in the midst of winter.

This brings me to Del’ Aziz, literally a stones throw away from my flat, and situated on the corner of Bermondsey Street (a street reputable for its fantastic eateries). This warm restaurant is most welcoming, and very rarely do you have to wait for a table. More so, your request for a Cappuccino and Breakfast Tea is met with the largest mug your heart could desire. Food wise, the menu is varied. While you may opt for the breakfast section, you can order from the main menu which offers a variety of meals from the Delhi counter. However, this is breakfast and this menu is too good to avoid. You can choose from the usual Eggs Royal and English Breakfast, or, if you’re wanting a lighter option, the croissant section. Needless to say, myself and my counterpart opted for the more unusual choice. I chose the Scrambled Eggs with Gravadlax, a plate full of Moroccan muffins, scrambled eggs and granary toast. My peer opted for a breakfast entitled ‘The Frying Pan’; quite literally a frying pan full of onions, mushrooms, peppers, chorizo and eggs - all under a helping of melted cheese. 

Though the service is a little rusty, with one expecting to wait a long time before any sign of a hot drink, the breakfast is tasty and fulfilling. This is alongside a guaranteed heartwarming atmosphere. Del’ Aziz is an absolute must!

Holiday

Right now, it's cold, wet and windy. My three worst weather conditions (other than snow). This just leaves me with sun, which my eternal love for has made my decision to post a summer holiday outfit even more reasoned. What's more, my next holiday which is round the corner, provides the perfect pretext for a couple of weeks of summer snaps. 

Polka print